We went to Musandam for a day trip during my vacation leave. We wanted to take a break and head out of town, preferably somewhere we could swim. Instead of going to Abu Dhabi and check out Yas Island Theme Park, we decided to head to Oman and be with nature instead.

Musandam Oman
March 2014

Dhow cruise

Musandam, Oman Dhow Cruise Experience

I booked the Musandam dhow through a promotional offer for 183 AED per person. For booking the trip contact 00971505209629 .

The travel agency already processed the requirements for the permits. Once everything was clear, we set the date of our excursion.

From Dubai to Musandam: 2 hour drive

Arriving Late

7:30am, we headed to the Spinney’s supermarket in Burjuman to meet with fellow travellers who booked the same package. We were supposed to leave around 8am or so but there was one hiccup. A couple of Caucasians were late (extremely late) in arriving. We waited for 2 hours for the 2 ladies to arrive and when they did, one of them forgot to bring her passport. She had to go back to her place to get it. We were already heading to the destination but stopped on the road as we waited for the other girl who finally brought her passport.

I don’t know why the driver didn’t leave them behind back in Spinney’s when the rest of us were waiting. It would’ve been nice as well if one of the girls apologized for being late. Oh well, it was 2 hours gone and another 2 hours needed to travel to Musandam.

fishermen in Oman

at the pier

We had the Musandam tour arranged and we sent copies of our passports for approval. The location is already part of Oman that’s why we needed them for security and immigration check. There was no need to stamp our passports out of the UAE since we were only going to be there for a day.

We passed by the desert in Sharjah and after a short nap, woke up to the starting point for our Musandam Dhow cruise adventure. We walked past other boats and settled to the one assigned to us. It was a huge one! Around 11:30am, we started our cruise.

passing through dhows

inside the boat

Activities in the Musandam Day Tour

Some of the activities included in the Musandam tour package is riding a banana boat, riding a speedboat, lunch buffet, sunbathing on the dhow boat, and snorkelling. Depending on the season, you can spot dolphins in the area too.

We docked near the mountains and settled for awhile.

The weather was fine, and if you book this tour, the best time to visit would be from November to March on winter season. It tends to get extremely hot in the Middle East during summer which can be unbearable on day time so these months are a good time to book the tour.

activities

floating

Buffet Lunch

They served lunch afterwards. It was alright. I had ample serving of the fried chicken. With the discount we got from the online promotion, I’m glad there was plenty that I got a second serving.

Packed juices, water, fruits and sweets were also available all throughout the trip which was good.

salad, noodles, beef curry and fried chicken

Passing by a small Cave

After lunch, we were told that we’ll be passing by a cave. I didn’t see much when we got there, we just enjoyed the speedboat ride. During this time though, clouds were hovering above and it was getting cold. We headed back to the dhow afterwards.

crowded inside the small speedboat

the small cave

One of the best things about the trip was that there weren’t that many tourists inside the boat. Capacity of a dhow would fit 100-150 people, but only about 30 people were present. I saw the other Dhow boat filled with so many tourists but we had the place all to ourselves so there were plenty of great spots to rest.

everybody resting

Recommended Guide

I’d like to point out how accommodating our guide was during the trip. Thomas is from Kerala, and he was our host for the day. He was very nice; mingling with other guests and making us feel comfortable.

One thing I really like was that during the banana boat ride, he took our photos using his smartphone. We didn’t bring our cameras for fear of them getting wet and we were glad he brought his to capture the moment.

This was my first banana boat ride… ever. lol

Thomas showed us our pictures and asked for our contact details so he could send the photos to us. The service was beyond our expectations. It was a really nice gesture and we told him that we’d recommend him to our friends. So guys, in case you visit Oman, here’s Thomas K’s number: 00 968 9964 2729

Thomas taking photos while balancing on the small boat

Sunset Back to Dubai

It was time to go home and the van was already waiting for us. After a long day of water adventure, I was dead tired in the vehicle. But prior to falling asleep, I witnessed another beautiful Middle East sunset.

fighting off sleep to admire the sun

On the road back to Dubai, the sun was very round and it made me imagine how it would be like to hire a car. We’d go for a road trip, stop for awhile and admire the view while the sun slowly makes its way to the rocky mountains.

Getting a driving license in the UAE is a little expensive; but someday, someday. – newvoucher.co.uk

Sharjah road back to Dubai

I was glad to have experienced this Musandam retreat before heading back to work. It’s great to take a vacation even for a day.

soloflightEd.com is a travel blog by Edcel Suyo. He enjoys performing headstands and crazy stunts during his trips in the Philippines, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. Now based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates and working to earn a living, he takes time to enjoy the city and travel during weekends.
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Hi Endette. No problem! You should check it out. One of our companions actually came from Abu Dhabi pa! Meeting time is around 7:30am and you go back to the meet-up place at 7pm. Might be a bit tiring but you can sleep in the bus back to AD anyway. Plus it’s a great way to spend the weekend! 🙂

I clicked this post right away when I read Oman. I spent some of my childhood years here and hearing its name captures my attention right away! That’s very nice of Thomas to take pictures of you guys and email them to you. Omanis are well known to be really nice and friendly. Have you heard about Wadi Shab in Oman? I haven’t been there but I’ve heard it’s a great place to go trekking 🙂

You were forced to delay your departure for two hours because you had to wait for two late comers! That’s enough to ruin my day – I’ll probably just ask for my money back and go home. Some people are so inconsiderate they deserve to be treated with contempt.